Improved ore-washing machine



.I. COLLOM.

Ore Jigger.

Patented May 12, 1863.

AM. PHOTO-LITHO. C0. N.Y. (OSBORN E'S PRO [iii 5.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN GOLLOM, OF HOUGHTON, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVED ORE-WASHING MACHINE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,467, dated May 12, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be. it known that I, JOHN OoLLoM, of Houghton, Lake Superior, in the county of Houghton and State of Michigan, have invent-- ed a new and Improved Machine for Washing Precious Ores; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of my invention, taken in the line a: .00, Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the same, taken in the line y n, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a plan or top view of the same; Fig. 4, a longitudinal section of a portion of the same, taken in the line 2 2, Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention consists in the employment or use of s rcens in connection with spouts, and a cistern provided with a partition and dischargeapertures, and also in connection with plungers separated in a novel way, all being arranged in such a manner that several advantages are obtained over the ordinary ore washing machines in use, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a framing, which may be constructed in any proper manner to support the working parts, and B is a cistern, which is fitted in the framing A and formed withinclined sides, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This cistern is provided with a vertical partition, a, which divides it into two equal compartments, 1) b, as shown in Fig. 2. Each compartment 7) is plovided with a dischargeopening, c, in its bottom, and in these openings plugs d are inserted.

O is a horizontal frame, which is secured on the upper part of the cistern B, and has two screens, D D, fitted in it. This frame 0 is open, so that the screens will be directly over the cistern B, as shown in Fig. 2, and said screen has two parallel bars, 0 e, fitted in it at a suitable distance apart, the space between said bars being divided into two equal compartments, f f, by a cross-bar, g. These compartmentsff have each an opening, h, in its bottom, so that they may communicate with the compartments 1) b of the cistern, one with each.

In each compartment f there is fitted a plunger, E. These plungers have vertical rods F attached centrally to them-one to each--and these rods pass up through a frame, G, which is bolted on the frame Q, and also pass through springs H, which are of semi-elliptical form, and rest on the frame G. Each rod F has a collar, i, upon it, and on each rod above the collars i there is placed a thimble, I, which is attached to its rod F by a set-screw,j. The upper surfaces of the thimbles have recesses made in them to receive pieces of india-rub ber k or otheryielding or elastic material. (See Fig. 1.) I

J is a rock-bar, the journals or trunnions lot which are fitted in hearings on on the frame G. This rock-bar is operated by a connecting rod, K, from a crankshaft, L. The motion ot the rock-bar, as regards its length of stroke or oscillation, may be varied as desired by raising or lowering the point of connection of the rod K with the roclcbar, and this is eii'ected by having the pin m on which the rod K is secured fitted in vertical slots n in the rock-bar, and having the pin m connected with a screw, M, which passes through an internal screw, 12, in the upper part of the rock-bar, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

N N represent two inclined spouts, which are attached to the frame G at points in line with the screens D D. These spouts are each provided with buttons 0, of diamond shape,

which are attached to the bottoms of the spouts water into the compartments f f, underneath the plungers E E.

The operation is as follows: The crushed ore is cairied by water through the inclined spouts N N upon the screens D D, and while upon the screens is agitated by the action of the plunger E E, the latter acting upon the water which is let into the compartments 1) b of the cistern B through the pipes or tubes R It, and this water at each descent of the plungers is forced up through the screens D D, producing the result specified. This agitating of the pulp or ore on the screens causes the heavier particles to sink to the bottom of the stratum of ore and pass through the screens into the cistern B, from which it may escape through the openings 0 into any proper receptacle prepared to receive it, and, if necessary, may be subjected to a second washing, or be disposed of at once for subsequent use. The earthy non-metallic substances contained in the ore are washed out of the screens at the outlets to and are carried by the water to the pace provided for its deposits. The partition a, by dividing the cistern B into two compartments, 7) b, admits of two kinds of ore, difi'ering in its quality, or size, or grain, being washed simultaneously withoutbecoming mixed. In Washing ores of different sizes as they come from a screen it is necessary that the coarser kind receive a greater degree of force from the water than the finer kind, and often the metallic particles accumulate faster in one screen than in another, and often it is needt'ul to keep more bottom (coarse grain of ore) in one screen than in the other. Therefore the force exerted by the water on the ore in the two screens must be unequal. To regulate all these things is the object of this invention. The two plungers E E and compartments 1) b of the cistern B admit of a separate action of the plungers on the contents of each screen, while by adjusting the thimbles I higher or lower on the rods F the action of each plunger may beregulated or modified as desired. The length of the stroke of the rock-bar J is regulated by adjusting the pin m higher or lower through the lnedium of the screw M. This mode of operating the plungers is preferable to a crank or eccentric, as it gives the requisite sudden jerks without workin g so rapidly and with such long strokes as the latter devices, and which have a tendency to prevent the proper action of the ore in the screens and the proper adjustment of the former in the latter. The springs H are floats on the surface of the water and has a tendency to pass 0E at the outlets a and is lost. To prevent this the cross-bars O U, the lower edges of which sink a little below the surface of the pulp, retain the fine ore sufficiently long to enable it to sink, and, therefore, be saved. At the discharge ends of the screens the running of the water causes the surface of the ore to start toward theoutlets, so that at these points the depth and weight of the layer of ore are less than they are elsewhere. The water consequently rises here with a force sufficient to bring to the surface some of the heavier particles of ore, and as they rise they would be carried off by the water and lost, if not prevented by the inclined bars Q Q and bars P P and these latter may be raised and lowered as desired, in order to keep a certain depth of water on the screens to prevent the former passing too rapidly over the ore, so as to carry off the fine metallic particles.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, ist 1. The employment or use of a cistern, B, divided into two compartments, b I), in connection with the screens D D and plungers E E, and arranged to operate as and for the purpose specified.

2. Operatingthe plungers E E through the medium of the rock-bar J and adjustable connecting-rod k, as set forth.

3. In combination with the rock'bar J, the plunger-rods F F, springs H, and adjustable thimbles I, for the purpose set forth.

4. The buttons 0 on the inclined spouts N N, when the same are used in connection with the screens D D, as and for the purpose specified.

5. The bars 0 O P P Q Q, applied to the screens D l), to operate as and for the purpose herein specified.

J OHN COLLOM.

Witnesses CHAS. A'rwoon, JOHN A'rwoon. 

